A Shortlist of Stylish Winter Sweaters, Hand-Picked By Our Editors

The coziest crewnecks, cashmere, cable-knits, and more.

A guest wearing yellow sweater, skirt, and sunglasses on Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2024
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Personally, there's nothing I look forward to more than the crisp breeze and the trees changing colors, but fall fashion especially has me excited about the season's cooler temps. There's just something about autumn styles that scream timelessness and chic—think leather jackets, ankle boots, and maxi skirts. However, a fall wardrobe wouldn't be complete without one of the best sweaters. 

Sweaters are a fall staple for a simple reason: Styling a sweater is effortless. For example, you can throw on a cardigan over a long dress for an easy transitional look or choose a graphic option paired with jeans and boots, and then you're ready to go. Meanwhile, I tend to make a turtleneck, mini skirt, and knee-high boots my go-to outfit throughout the season. I could go on and on about my love for sweaters and their endless styling options, but at least I'm not the only one. 

Marie Claire editors and stylists alike are just as obsessed with the best sweaters as I am, so keep reading to see the expert picks we can't wait to wear once there's a chill in the air, plus tried-and-true shopping tips. You'll find everything from crewnecks to thick winter sweaters with price points to match any budget. We even found some of our favorite sweaters on sale!

What to Look For in a Sweater

  • Fit 

Sweaters come in all different shapes and sizes—turtlenecks, cropped, oversized, and crewnecks, to name a few popular styles—so no two sweaters will likely fit the same. Since sweaters are all about being cute and cozy, you may want to prioritize comfort when shopping for a knitted piece. That said, sweaters will have a different fit depending on their style and how you wear them. For example, fashion stylist Kate Moroney says turtlenecks "look great under crew neck sweaters and bulky v-neck cardigans, and they are great for tucking in and pairing with the trouser and wide leg pant styles that have been popular the past few seasons." Meanwhile, crewnecks are a great everyday sweater that can be dressed up or down, whereas an oversized option is ideal for extra layers, especially on chilly days. 

  • Fabrics

When shopping for sweaters, you'll come across many different fabric compositions in pieces, but rest assured, there's not one fabric that's inherently better than the rest. Simply put, other fabrics are going to suit different needs. 

  • Natural materials like cotton can be found in plenty of sweaters, and it's a great option if you're looking for something more breathable. 
  • Wool, on the other hand, is much thicker and provides more heat, making it a great option for winter sweaters. 
  • You'll also run into cashmere, famous for its extra-soft, warm feel, but sweaters made from cashmere will be pricier. 
  • If you're on a budget, look for blended fabrics like cashmere or wool blended with cotton, polyester, or acrylic. A blended composition will keep the price more affordable yet still provide all the coziness you want in a sweater. 

The Best Sweaters

Meet the Experts

Kate Moroney fashion stylist headshot
Kate Moroney

Kate Moroney is a Fashion and product stylist based in Minneapolis and New York City, and is represented by Honey Artists.  In 2022, Kate was featured on ABC, in People.com, and in The Wall Street Journal BuySide.  Kate has over Ten years of experience working as a fashion stylist and consultant and works extensively in advertising, eCommerce, catalog, television, and editorial photo shoots.

Throughout Kate's career in styling, primarily in NYC and Minneapolis, she has contributed to projects for nationally recognized clients including: Saks Fifth Avenue, Vogue Italia, Evereve, Marion Parke, Target, Lulu Lemon, Restoration Hardware, Elle Magazine, Levi’s, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Timberwolves, The Mall of America and Money Magazine among others.

Aisha Rae celebrity stylist black and white headshot
Aisha Rae

Aisha Rae starting her career in New York City and now living in Los Angeles as a bi-coastal stylist extends her services in television, commercial, celebrity, and editorial. She has been featured and noticed by multiple outlets including Vogue, Spring Place, and Revolt Live for her style expertise. Aisha work has also been published in Elle, Paper, L’officiel and many more.

As of 2017, Aisha Rae created her own creative agency called, BL8K. BL8K, is a full-service creative agency focusing on celebrity placement, editorial, campaigns, and more for emerging designers.

She has a degree from the renowned Fashion Institute of Technology studying business and product development. Aisha also extends her services as a style expert for talk shows and magazines.

Brooke Knappenberger
Associate Commerce Editor

Brooke Knappenberger is the Associate Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she specializes in crafting shopping stories—from sales content to buying guides that span every vertical on the site. She also oversees holiday coverage with an emphasis on gifting guides as well as Power Pick, our monthly column on the items that power the lives of MC’s editors. She also tackled shopping content as Marie Claire's Editorial Fellow prior to her role as Associate Commerce Editor.

She has over three years of experience writing on fashion, beauty, and entertainment and her work has appeared on Looper, NickiSwift, The Sun US, and Vox Magazine of Columbia, Missouri. Brooke obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism with an emphasis on Magazine Editing and has a minor in Textile and Apparel Management.